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The smartwatch system is based on sensors that can capture changes in movement patterns and tremors, which can help clinicians tailor treatments like medications and lifestyle changes. Credit: R. Powers et al., Science Translational Medicine (2021)
A team of engineers from Apple Inc. working with researchers at several institutions in the United States have found that smartwatches could provide a valuable resource to help track the progression of Parkinson’s disease in patients. In their article published in the journal Scientific translational medicine, the group describes a pilot trial of an app created for the Apple smartwatch and an informal experiment with 225 Parkinson’s patients using the smartwatch and the app for six months.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease affecting the nervous system. As the basal ganglia of the brain degenerate, people with the disease begin to experience tremors, muscle problems, and difficulty moving. There is no cure for the disease, but there are several drugs that slow its progression and reduce symptoms. Medical researchers noted that another piece of data about a patient’s symptom level could improve treatments, offering advice on changing drug doses to meet individual needs. Currently, physicians must rely on the tests and patient counts that are performed when patients come to the office for updates. These visits are often several months apart. In this new effort, Apple and the team working with them investigated the possibility of using smartwatches to monitor the characteristic movements of tremors around the clock, using data from the smartwatch’s gyroscope and accelerometer. . The team created an app for Apple’s smartwatch called Motor Fluctuations Monitor for Parkinson’s Diseas.
The team began with a pilot study to see if their app was working as desired with 118 volunteers and several clinicians trained to track symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Emboldened by their results in the pilot, the researchers conducted a larger study of 225 Parkinson’s disease patients who agreed to wear the smartwatch for six months. The researchers found that smartwatches were able to detect certain symptoms missed by their caregivers. They suggest the smartwatch and the app could be used as a tool to help doctors determine drug doses that match symptoms as the disease progresses.
Apple has not announced whether it will test the device or attempt to conduct clinical trials. If so, the company will likely have to seek FDA approval for its system.
General checkups can detect early signs of Parkinson’s disease
Rob Powers et al. Smartwatch inertial sensors continuously monitor actual motor fluctuations in Parkinson’s disease, Scientific translational medicine (2021). DOI: 10.1126 / scitranslmed.abd7865
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Quote: Using a smartwatch to help detect progression of Parkinson’s disease (2021, February 4) retrieved February 4, 2021 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-02-smartwatch-parkinson-disease.html
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